The human in us

This is a plog, a podcast blog and also a blog. So you can either read or listen to this. Available on all platforms, including Apple podcasts and Spotify.

Although you aren’t hearing from Tom at the moment, I thought I’d share some things that will hopefully make you smile. Tom, despite his PTSD rearing it’s ugly head, is an intelligent, funny and compassionate person. I am constantly in stitches laughing when we hang out. Tom is also a journalist by trade. Out of the occasional negative reviews we receive for BVR, a common complaint is our banter. Lucky for you, I always edit out most of it, otherwise an episode would go for 3 hours!

Constructive criticism is helpful and we aim to improve where we can, after all we don’t have a massive company behind us and this is our first podcast. In the not to distant future Tom will post a blog that goes into a little more depth about his current situation.

Tom and I live an hour away from each other, so usually we would catch up on the phone and meet in person twice a week to record and plan the podcast. This meant many late nights reading and writing. During these sessions, Tom was known to fall asleep and have a quick little nap. I would always snap a photo of this, because I’m an asshole, and it was hilarious. I will share these photos, with Tom’s permission of course, because it’s funny and real. We would always try to keep it light by prank joking each other, taking photos or videos, or even secretly recording our conversations… Tom.. but that is another story. I’d like to thank all of you who have been thinking of Tom and what he is going through.

True crime is nothing new. Although podcasting is relatively young, the crime genre itself has been here always. If you watch or listen to the news you will know crime makes up the majority of major stories. True crime documentaries, TV series and movies have always been amongst the top selling and most watched.

The question is why? For me, it comes naturally. I grew up watching crime documentaries and loved it. It’s fascinating trying to understand why or how someone commits a crime and what lead them to that point.

I think people are inherently nosey. It’s ingrained in us. It’s in our core as humans. We love to know what is happening in everyone’s lives. Look at gossip magazines, reality TV and social media. We lap it up. It’s nothing new, we have always talked about crime and wrongdoings since the dawn of time. I’m sure most people, when they see a police car speeding past or parked at a house, think what’s going on there? I’d love to just knock on the door and ask them. That’s where the term ‘rubber necker’s’ comes from. It’s when someone drives past a car accident and turns their head so much to see what’s happening they look like the girl out of the exorcist. Then they crash becuse they were looking at another crash.

My community (The Sunshine Coast, QLD) has been devastated by bush fires this week. To make it worse, it appears these fires were deliberately lit by a few 14-15 year olds. The damage bill could be up to 100 million. Thousands of people were evacuated, businesses were shut down and homes were damaged and destroyed. This is a perfect example. The social media trends went something like this:

“I have a spare room for anyone who needs it. Thoughts are with everyone who is affected.”

I heard it was kids who lit it. Their names are… they live… lock them up! Who are their parents? Are they bad kids?”

The compassion and fight for justice, and the classic ‘who done it’ and how can I help we all seem to thrive on. Of course the was the steady flow of videos on social media of the fires burning out of control and dangerously close to people and residences. The alleged offenders snap chat and messages were leaked on the internet also, which the public and media/news companies just loved.

Listening to true crime podcast gives people the chance to do that. To be nosey. I also think we are good at heart. Once we hear a story or an injustice, we want to make it right, or at least hear that someone is fighting for that outcome.

In the next episode of BVR I will be talking briefly about Police. For this reason I want to give you a little insight into the reality of becoming a police officer.

I remember finishing at Gympie and going to Maroochydore (which is about an hour south on the Sunshine Coast). I remember one of my first days (if not the first shift) I was driving around with 2 first years. Not one, but 2. So I was the senior officer out of us 3. A lot of responsibility for someone with 18 months up their sleeves. We were patrolling and a job came on the radio. A code. 2. Which is lights and sirens and get their quick. It was a wilful damage. From memory, someone took a hammer or something like that to a car, and smashed it up. The offender was still on scene and had bloody hands. We rocked up fairly quickly. I remember seeing the female offender walking away matching the description given by the informant. There is so much to think about here in that moment. Do you jump out and arrest? based on what we have heard? What if they deny, and try to walk away? Can I detain or

Arrest them? What if they are violent towards us? We need to secure the scene. Take photos, gather property and evidence, contact scenes of crime to photograph and fingerprint the car, can’t forget to see if the offender needs medical attention for her wounds from the smashed glass. Contact the informant, have one of the officers take a notebook statement. Arrange a time for all witnesses to attend the station and make formal statement. Knock on the doors of the surrounding homes to see if anyone saw or heard anything. Check if the owner of the car knows who or why someone would do this. Ask that they obtain two quotes to repair the damage. Do they have insurance? Make the arrest, caution the offender with their legal rights and warnings before talking with them. Oh and don’t forget to issue a property receipt to the offender or owner of the hammer and organise for it to be photographed. Proceed to the watchhouse, interview the offender and charge or release accordingly. Then the real paper work starts. Oh and it turns out that it was a case of mistaken identity. Anyway, you get the point, there is a lot to think about here and you are in charge. With all but 1 year policing and 6 months training. Don’t forget that. Police are human too. We all are.

Jamie Pultz

At the factory, editing and listening to recordings for an episode. Tom resting his head.